This application claims priority to Japanese application serial number 2000-349968, which application is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lighting devices that may be used in combination with power tools, such as circular saws.
2. Description of the Related Art
Circular saws are known that have lights for illuminating a portion of a workpiece (in particular, the portion of the workpiece that is being cut by a cutting edge of a circular saw blade) during the cutting operation, so that the cutting operation can be performed at night or in a dark area.
However, known circular saws incorporate incandescent lamps as the light source. Generally speaking, incandescent lamps include tungsten filaments that are heated in order to emit light. Such tungsten filaments tend to break due to vibration of the circular saw during the cutting operation and thus, may have a relatively short lifetime.
It is, accordingly, one object of the present invention to teach improved lighting devices for use with power tools. For example, in one aspect of the present teachings, the lighting devices have excellent durability over known incandescent lamps.
In one embodiment of the present teachings, lighting devices may include a fluorescent lamp. The fluorescent lamp may be supported on a power tool by means of a flexible support, so that the position of the fluorescent lamp relative to the power tool can be set or moved to desired positions. Power may be supplied to the fluorescent lamp by means of a power supply circuit that has an inverting function.
Preferably, a mount or mounting device is utilized to attach the flexible support to the power tool. The power supply circuit may include a circuit board on which an inverter circuit is assembled. The circuit board may be attached to the mount. Further, the mount may substantially closely encapsulate the circuit board.
In another aspect of the present teachings, circular saws are taught that include the lighting devices having the above features.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood after reading the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings and the claims.